Thomas, Stafford sign with Browns, Falcons

Toledo football continues to make its mark in free agency following the NFL Draft.

Running back Adonis Thomas and wide receiver Kenny Stafford both signed professional contracts on May 13 and have joined NFL rosters.

Thomas won’t have to go far from Toledo to find his home as a professional. The Newark, N.J., native signed with the Cleveland Browns and will compete for a roster spot for the upcoming season.

Adonis Thomas (left) and Kenny Stafford (right), taken by Nick Kneer

Cleveland lost starting running back Peyton Hillis in free agency but replaced him with No. 3 overall pick Trent Richardson. The other running backs on the roster include Montario Hardesty, Brandon Jackson, Chris Ogbonnaya and Armond Smith.

Despite breaking his arm last season, which caused him to miss three games, Thomas finished 17th in the nation with 107.1 rushing yards per game and 23rd in the nation with 142.1 all-purpose yards per contest.

Thomas wasn’t the lone Rocket to sign on May 13; Stafford also found a new home in Atlanta.

Stafford, who is best known as being Chris Carter’s nephew, finished fourth on the team with 21 catches and 272 yards with one score on the season.

The Columbus native saw his stock rise at Toledo’s pro day with one of the most impressive performances of the event. Stafford ran a 4.37 40-yard dash, which would have put him fourth among the 40 wide receivers who participated at the NFL Combine.

The Falcons’ wide receiving corps is led by one of the top duos in the league, Roddy White and Julio Jones. They did not take a receiver in the draft.

With the signings of Thomas and Stafford, a total of seven Rockets have signed as undrafted free agents. Among the signings: wide receiver Eric Page (Denver), tight end Danny Noble (Tampa Bay), offensive linemen Mike VanDerMeulen (Tampa Bay) and Phillip Manley (Atlanta) and cornerback Desmond Marrow (Houston).